I purchased the Avid Shorty 4 brakes to replace the old Shimano Exage cantilever brakes on my 1989 Giant. I couldn't find suitable replacement pads for the old brakes, so I decided to replace them with the Avid brakes. This was a great upgrade. The difference in braking is significant -- I have way more leverage with these brakes. Installation wasn't too difficult, but fine adjustments to the pads and brake springs require a bit of patience for trial and error.